‘The Hobbit’ Tickets Will Cost the Same No Matter the Frame Rate

Every time there's a new advance in cinema tech, it often comes at a price. In most cases that price is directly transferred onto the viewer. Those fearing that seeing 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' in its original 48fps frame rate would have to drop more cash on their tickets can breath a sigh of relief. Warner Brothers isn't charging more... yet.

This comes from the studio and exhibitors, according to Variety, and this is smart since any 48fps showing will likely also be in 3D, and in some locations Imax. Currently only a small number of theaters are equipped for this sort of presentation anyway. This also comes after the film's screening at CinemaCon, where the 48fps footage didn't go over with a wow, and it's hard to know if the higher frame rate is a fad or the way of the future (the way of the future).

Both Peter Jackson and James Cameron really love 48fps, but unlike 3D and its quick dissemination throughout Hollywood productions, we're still in the infancy of higher frame rate usage, and though there's been a number of aspect ratios (academy's 1.33:1 to Cinemascope's 2.35:1, and all sorts of ratios in between), and stereoscopic films in previous generations, with the studio's changeover to digital projection, this is still fresh territory. If the public responds well to it, it's possible that there could be a surcharge on tickets before we get to the end of 'The Hobbit' trilogy.